- 1). Look closely at a World time zone map. Locate the prime meridian (longitude zero) --- which is identified by time zone as "UTC (0)."
- 2). Notice the UTC numbers to the left and right of UTC (0). On a World time zone map a negative sign indicates time is earlier than the UTC, a positive sign means the time is later than the UTC. Civil time increases by one hour for each time zone east of the prime meridian, and decreases by one hour for each time zone west of the prime meridian.
- 3). Find your location and UTC number on the map. For example, if you live in New Jersey your time zone is UTC (-5). Determine the time in another zone by comparing that UTC number to your own. For example, Singapore is UTC (+7) so the difference is 12 hours --- meaning it is 12 hours later in Singapore than it is in New Jersey. It is later, and not earlier, because Singapore is east of the prime meridian.
- 4). Take note of irregular time zones. Some countries create local time zones based on boundaries and political matters. For example, China stretches geographically across five different time zones but uses only one standard time (UTC +8). Other unusual time zones include Myanmar (+6 1/2), Iran (+4 1/2), Iraq (+3 1/2) Nepal (+5 3/4), Central Australia (+9 1/2), Venezuela (-4 1/2) and Newfoundland (-3 1/2).
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